Many not-so-healthy favorites can be rehabilitated by making them part of a green salad. We all know about taco salad (a good choice if you forgo the deep-fried tortilla shell bowl and minimize the cheese!). Enjoy the flavors of Buffalo chicken wings, a football game day staple, in this great salad. The chicken skin is high in fat (and wings are mostly skin, aren't they?), so boneless, skinless chicken breast make this dish easy to prepare and much healthier.

Ingredients
For the salad:
4 cups mixed greens, torn into pieces
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles, optional
1/4 cup toast pecans, optional
Your favorite ranch dressing

For the chicken:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/8 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg, beaten with a little water
2-3 Tablespoons canola oil

For the sauce:
1 teaspoon butter, melted
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons Louisiana hot sauce


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, F (400 degrees if using a glass baking dish). Cut the chicken breast into strips. Pat dry with paper towels. Using a large baking sheet or jelly roll pan (so that the chicken pieces aren't crowded), coat the bottom of the pan with a film of oil.

Mix the breadcrumbs, wheat germ, pepper, and salt on a plate. Dip each strip in the egg-water mixture, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on the baking sheet so that the pieces do not touch.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, then turn each piece over and bake another 10-15 minutes. The chicken should be crispy and time will depend on the size of the chicken strips.

While baking, mix the butter, oil, and hot sauce and set aside. Assemble the lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and cheese (if used) in individual serving bowls.

Drain the crispy chicken on paper towels, then toss in a bowl with the hot sauce. Serve several strips on top of each salad along with ranch dressing on the side. If desired, sprinkle with toasted pecans.